Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-02-25
THE LATE SECRETARY.

President tleYelandS Cabinet of
incOmpctcnts had one member who
helped him, aud Mr.. Manning has
retired. II matters not now wheth-
or NJ. Jordan, by his suggestions
and Influence, gave the Treasury
what success it attained, for he has
left also or is about 10 leave; the
Slamcse twins of finance see large
opportunities elsewherr, but in the
Treasury they have gained all the
reputation it was possible for them
10 gain. Public confidence has be-
gun 10 wane, while the hostility Of
/ Democrats in Congress waves
hcrcer. II was wise time for them
to retire, but what do they leave
behind ? The President has an in
comuetent Secretary of State with
/ British lcanings; "a disgraced At
/ iorney- General; Secretary Of
War who has yet TO put signifi-
cant figure before or after long
row OF ciphcrs; a Secretary Of the
/ Navy who bankrupted and killed
John Roach, and paid a great price
for worthless plans from England;
a POstmaster.Ge General who cripples
American commerce and Secre-
tary OF the Interior who keeps
about him Pan. Electric corruption
lists, post-trading blackmailrrs,
land.stealing denouncers of fraud,
enemies and plunderers Of honest
settlers, and Physical Wreck Black.
1t is evidence of the shrewdness of
the Sianese twins that they get
ont OF this company.
II is true Mr.. Mannlng's position
has been a difficult and a hopeless
one from the first. He was q New
York banker, and therefore hated
by his party-eXcept when it want
ed campaign funds. He had some
sense about silver, and that was a
crime. lie was an uncOmpromising
Free Trader, and his party wanted
to cheat both sides on that ques.
ton. lie candidly believed in the
spolls system, and the President
believed in Reform hypocrisy, with
party and personal machines, nepct-
ism and jObbery, all under matches.
Such a Secretary, in such pre-
dicament, could get reputation on
~ by cOntrast-Only by stiffly adj
vocating what he had no power to
accomplish. This Mr.. Manning
did, and he brought shame upon
his party by sensible proposals,
and in the matter of refusal to
state reasons for removals, also
upon the President himself, who
wanted to play the hypOcrite when
Manning saw it was folly. Entire
ly important to get legislation
modified to suit his policy, the
Secretary could not long have con-
Quoted the finances so as to retain
public confidence. For six weeks
silver has been gathering in the
Treasury, and gold begins to 60 out
of the country. He therefore re-
tires from hopeless task in good
time for his own reputation.
When .he financial course of the
Secretary aud Treasurer is closely
examined, it is seen that their repu-
tation rests entirely upon what
they recommended. 1t was well
for them that neither friends nor
foes realized how nearly they were
powerless to 10 anything Of real
service. They voluntarily deprived
themselves of more than half the
power they had, when they con
Strued the law to permit issues Of
certificates upon constructive but
not actual deposits Of silver. The
refusal TO issue at distant points
against deposits here they abandon
ed. when il became necessary to
pour ont money freely in the fall to
create confidence, and therefore
the Treasury had,tO borrow money
at New York by the issue Of certiii-
Gates elsewhere. Revival Of trade,
and large purchases of securities
on foreign account, have given the
Treasury greater strength during
the last year, Just AZ contrary CON
ditiOns made il weaker during the
last year of this Administration.
But nothing has been accomplish
ed TO avert or remove the dangers
which both President and Secre-
tary have repeatedly depicted in
vain. 1t remains to be seen what
any new Secretary can do, begin
nlng with an ebbing tide of gold,
and reaction from the partly
fictitious encouragement and ac-
/ tivity caused by the expansion of
currency last fall.-N. Y. Tribune.